The Upper Calder Valley Renaissance was the first project anywhere in the UK to tackle the challenging and complex job of transforming an entire valley. This 14 mile section of the Calder Valley in West Yorkshire was earmarked by Yorkshire Forward, the regional development agency, as an area ripe for regeneration on all levels. In late 2002 they appointed consultants John Thompson & Partners to undertake the biggest consultation exercise ever seen in the area. More than 2,000 individuals, organisations and businesses had their say in how they would like to see the valley re-born.